MoD mandarin voices concerns over cyber security

Sir Bill Jeffrey, permanent secretary of state at the Ministry of Defence
(MoD), has expressed concerns over the department's handling of data and threats
to cyber security.

In a report entitled
Consolidated
Resource Accounts for 2009-10, Sir Jeffrey said: "In addition to the risks
posed by data losses and information infrastructure, the risk presented to the
department by threats to cyber security is of increasing concern."

According to the report, steps have been taken to improve personal data
handling, and to prohibit the use of unencrypted data. It said that the
percentage of fully encrypted laptops had risen from 27.6 per cent in 2008-09 to
70.2 per cent. However, other organisations such as the BBC, where data is
arguably of a less critical nature, manage to ensure that all laptops and
devices are fully encrypted.

When contacted for comment, the MoD said it was unaware of Sir Jeffrey's
remarks and therefore unable to respond.

Sir Jeffrey also disclosed that the number of laptop losses at the MoD had
fallen from 326 in 2008-09 to 121 in 2009-2010. In comparison the BBC, which is
about a quarter of the size of the MoD,
recently
reported a loss of 146 laptops over two years.

Meanwhile, the US government will shortly be launching a programme called
'Perfect Citizen', which aims to protect companies and government agencies
running critical services from cyber attack.

The National Security Agency will run the system, which will use sensors
deployed in computer networks to detect unusual activity suggesting an impending
cyber attack.

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